Marie louise fuller



(N o Model.)

M. L. FULLER.

THEATRIUAL STAGE MECHANISM. No. 533,167.

Patented Jan. 29, 1895.

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MARIE LOUISE FULLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TH EATRICAL STAGE MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 533,167, dated January 29, 1895.

Application fl March 1394. Serial No. 505,258. (No model.) Patented in France January 13, 1893, No. 227,105, and in England May 23,1893, No. 10,221.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARIE LOUISE FULLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Theatrical Stage Mechanism for Producing Illusionary Effects, (for which I have obtained a French patent, No. 227,106, dated January 13, 1893, and delivered April 8, 1893, and apatent in Great Britain, No. 10,221, dated May 23,1893) of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention consists in constructing anew and useful theatrical stage mechanism to be used in the production of a dance, said mechanism having the effect of multiplying the reflections of one or more dancers performing in front of the said mechanism, thereby producing to the eye of the spectator an illusionary efiect.

In a modification of my invention, I provide a series of vertical lights which give the effect of many pillars of fire around, and among which the figures are represented as dancing.

The object of my inventionis to produce an illusionary effect to the eye of the spectator.

My invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which the single figure therein illustrates a front elevation of my invention.

A A are plates of glass, silvered on the back so as to produce reflecting surfaces. These reflecting surfaces are set adjacent to one another and at an angle to each other, the vertical edge or edges of each of said planes being placed adjacent to each other, as shown. Two or more reflecting planes may be placed adjacent to one another and several angles may be formed thereby for the purpose of forming a background of semi -polygonal shape. A mirror flooring B may be added within the space partially surrounded by the background. A mirror ceiling D may also be added. When it is desirable to use a mirror ceiling, by preference, I place the plates which form the same at an incline, so that spectators, who are witnessing the illusion from a plane higher than the plane of the flooring B, will not be prevented from seeing the entire background. At each vertical juncture of the reflecting surfaces that form an angle, by preference, I provide a vertical series of lights E E. Back of and around the said mechanism by preference I provide a black setting. Around the front edge of the mechanism, by preference, I provide a series of lights F E, which lights may be shielded from the eyes of the spectator, if desired.

In operation, it will be clearly seen that when the dancer comes in front of the mechanism and stands upon the dancing flooring B, which forms a part of this invention, at a point, for illustration, lettered X, the reflections caused by the mirrors A A will make it appear to the spectator that there aremany dancers performing upon a large stage. The vertical columns of light E will likewise be multiplied, and the dancers will be seen going through the various evolutions of the dance among these various pillars of fire, thereby producing an extraordinarily beautiful effect. By preference, I use incandescent electric lights, and, by providing various colored bulbs for the same, it is possible to instantly change the tone of the scene from one color to another, and by combining the various primaries other colors are produced. When the mirror flooring B and the inclined mirror ceiling D are utilized in connection with the vertical reflecting surfaces A A, and all in combination with the rows of lights, the reflections of the dancer will be increased many fold and the illusion made more mystifying and complete. To heighten the efiect, all the lights in the auditorium may be turned 0E and the only lights used should be those described in the specification, with possibly the addition of a lime or calcium light applied from behind the wings of the stage.

Several vertical rows of light E E are shown and these may be used independently or jointly during the progress of the dance, as desired. It is furthermore desirable, in order that the number of figures may be compounded, that the mirrors be so set as to reflect into one another. It would be desirable, therefore, when only two plates are used to set the said plates at an acute angle to each other, thereby making it appear that there are five persons dancing while, in reality, there is only one dancer performing.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is

The combination in a theatrical stage mech- 5 anism of a background of reflecting surfaces placed adjacent to and at angles to each other, with a mirror flooring and mirror ceiling, said mirror ceiling being inclined upward 

